I do a wine tasting course each week, the other day the tutor said that her neighbour had recently called her over the garden fence:
"I'm clearing out my Mother in law's house, her husband was a bit of a wine buff and she has had some wine stuck in the loft for 30 years. Is it likely to be any good?"
"Oh dear", thinks tutor, "how do I let him down gently"
"I doubt it, not the best storage conditions..... but why don't you bring a sample bottle and I'll have a look"
A week later said bottle is presented over the garden fence. Even from a distance it was clear that it was VERY brown with age, but strangely was still very high on the neck.
As the dust was blown off, tutor almost dropped the bottle in shock: d'Yquem
1949, with original label & original capsule in near perfect condition , if a little dusty.
That bottle is to be auctioned at Christies in London next month and neighbour is going back to see what other bottles might lurk in the nether reaches of said loft.
pk